HK1059095A - Lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system and method - Google Patents

Description

Lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system and method

no marking

The present invention relates to a freshener and/or cleanser system for toilets and a method of using the system in toilets. In particular, the present invention relates to systems comprising a liquid freshening and/or cleaning composition and a liquid dispenser.

Several lavatory freshening and/or cleaning systems are known. These systems include "solid block" type systems in which the freshening and/or cleaning block is placed under the rim of the toilet bowl or in a reservoir. In the case of placement under a rim system, each time the toilet is flushed, a portion of the block is dissolved by water, thereby cleaning and/or freshening the toilet. In the case of a cistern block system, part of the block dissolves in the cistern prior to flushing, and the toilet is cleaned and refreshed as the water in the cistern flushes the toilet. Solid toilet blocks, however, have some disadvantages, particularly in that they do not provide a constant supply of cleaning and freshening agents over the life of the block.

Other freshening and cleaning systems are in liquid dispensing form. Such systems include a liquid dispenser and a liquid freshening and/or cleaning composition. A liquid dispenser suitable for use in such a system is disclosed in the applicant's published international patent application WO 9966139. Such liquid dispensers typically include a reservoir and a pad-like or plate-like liquid delivery device having capillary channels formed therein, the liquid delivery device being connected to the reservoir so that the freshening and/or cleaning composition in the reservoir is delivered to the liquid delivery device in a controlled manner. The liquid dispenser is positioned below the rim of the toilet bowl so that during the flushing phase, a sufficient amount of the freshening and/or cleaning composition is delivered into the toilet bowl to effect cleaning thereof

In order for the liquid cleansing system to function, the liquid dispenser must be provided with an appropriate liquid cleansing and/or freshening composition. Such liquid compositions are required to have certain properties to perform their freshening and/or cleaning functions. In particular, it is desirable to generate sufficient foam when the dispensing composition is flushed with a stream of water. Foam is desirable to facilitate toilet bowl cleaning and dispersion of the fragrance contained in the composition. Foam also imparts some aesthetic qualities when flushing a toilet.

ｃA known liquid cleaning composition is disclosed in european patent application EP- ｃA-0775741, which is said to be suitable for use in ｃA liquid cleaning system of the type described above, which describes ｃA composition having ｃA viscosity of 10 to 2000mpｃA at room temperature comprising:

(a)1-25 wt.% of a flavoring agent

(b) 10-50% by weight of an anionic or nonionic surfactant,

(c)1-20 wt.% of a non-evaporable water-soluble Hanning conditioner, and

(d) the balance being solvent.

It would be desirable to provide an alternative formulation, particularly one that can be manufactured at a lower cost.

The liquid compositions of the prior art, as is true of the solid edge block art, typically include at least 10% by weight of surfactant. It is believed that only such amounts of surfactant produce the desired degree of foaming.

However, the present inventors have surprisingly found that compositions containing low levels of surfactant can give high levels of lather and are also suitable for use in liquid dispensers of the type described above. In addition to this, it has been found that high levels of lather can be achieved from compositions containing low levels of surfactant, while also dissolving or micro-emulsifying any fragrance present in the liquid composition for freshening.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system comprising a dispenser for dispensing a liquid composition from the underside of the rim of a lavatory bowl, the liquid composition comprising one or more surfactants in a total concentration of not more than 8% by weight.

The total concentration of surfactant is preferably in the range of 2.5 to 8.0% by weight, most preferably substantially 7.6% by weight.

Suitable surfactants are anionic and/or nonionic surfactants, but it is preferred to use a combination of anionic and nonionic surfactants. Preferably, the anionic surfactant is an alkyl ether sulphate, for example the commercially available product under the trade name Steol CS 270, containing surfactant at a concentration of 70 wt.%, and the nonionic surfactant is an ethoxylated synthetic alcohol, for example the commercially available product under the trade name Lutensol A08.

A fragrance is optionally present to provide a freshening effect in the toilet and its vicinity. Suitable fragrances for liquid compositions are those sold under the trade name Vertana 114.737.

Preferably, the total concentration of flavoring agents is in the range of 4 to 15% by weight, and most preferably substantially 6% by weight.

Surfactants and fragrances may be used in combination as thickeners, so the viscosity of the composition may be controlled to some extent by the choice of surfactant and/or fragrance, but it is preferred to include one or more additional thickeners in the composition, and preferably in a total concentration in the range of 0.2 to 5% by weight. The most preferred concentration of the additional thickener is substantially 0.40% by weight. Suitable thickeners are hydroxyethyl cellulose, for example the commercially available product with the trade name Natraso 1250 HHR.

Additionally, humectants can be present in the liquid composition. When a fragrance is present, a humectant is desirable to regulate evaporation of the fragrance in the composition. In addition, wetting agents can be used to prevent phase separation in the composition and precipitation of precipitates from the composition. Suitable humectants include glycols, glycerol ethers (glycoethers), alcohols, sugars, and polyethers.

The composition optionally may include sequestering agents, pH adjusting agents, dyes, and preservatives.

The invention also extends to a method of using such a lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system in a toilet bowl.

A preferred embodiment of the invention incorporates a liquid composition having the following components:

weight percent of	Common name	Chemical name	Component type	Function(s)
						Water (W)	Water (W)		Solvent(s)
7.25	Steol CS 270 (containing 70% active surfactant)	Sodium dodecyl Ether sulfate	Anionic surfactants	Dissolving flavoring agent, forming and tackifying
					2.50	Lutensol A08		Nonionic surfactant	Dissolving flavoring agent, forming and tackifying
7.00		Dipropylene glycol	Short chain hydrocarbons	Wetting agent
					2.00	Dequest 2010		Phosphonic acid salts	Sequestering agents
1.60		Sodium hydroxide (32% by weight aqueous solution)		Adjusting the pH
					0.40	Natrasol 250 HHR		Cellulose, process for producing the same, and process for producing the same	IncreaseThickening agent
0.005				Dye material
					6.00				Flavoring agent
0.02	Myacide BT			Preservative

As can be seen from the above table, the composition comprises Steol CS 270. This included anionic surfactant at a concentration of 70 wt% so that the actual concentration of anionic surfactant in the composition was 5.1 wt%, resulting in a total surfactant concentration in the composition of 7.6 wt%.

Claims (16)

1. A lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system comprising a dispenser for dispensing a liquid composition from the under-rim of a lavatory bowl, the liquid composition including one or more surfactants in a total concentration of no more than 8% by weight.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the total surfactant concentration is in the range of 2.5 to 8.0 wt.%.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the surfactant concentration is always substantially 7.6% by weight 96%.

4. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 4 comprising Steol CS 270, constituting at least one anionic surfactant.

6. The system according to claim 4 or 5, comprising Lutensol A08, constituting at least one non-ionic surfactant.

7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the liquid composition further comprises a thickener.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the concentration of said thickener is in the range of 0.2 to 5% by weight, in addition to the surfactant and fragrance present.

9. A system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the thickener is hydroxyethyl cellulose.

10. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the liquid composition further comprises a fragrance.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the total concentration of flavoring agent is in the range of 4-15% by weight.

12. A system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the total concentration of flavourant is substantially 6% by weight.

13. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the liquid composition further comprises one or more of a sequestering agent, a pH adjuster, a dye, and a preservative.

14. A method of using a lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system according to any preceding claim in a toilet bowl.

15. A lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system comprising a dispenser for dispensing a liquid composition from under the rim of a lavatory bowl, substantially as hereinbefore described.

16. A method of using a lavatory freshening and/or cleaning system substantially as hereinbefore described in a toilet bowl.